Kiyonga rejects UN report on Karamoja

May 21, 2007

THE Ministry of Defence has rejected a report by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, which claimed that the insecurity in Karamoja had worsened between November 2006 and March 2007.

By Vision Reporter

THE Ministry of Defence has rejected a report by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, which claimed that the insecurity in Karamoja had worsened between November 2006 and March 2007.

The report, released last month, stated that February 2007 had the highest number of recorded casualties.
At least 126 people and nine UPDF soldiers died in clashes between the UPDF and Karimojong warriors, road ambushes and raids, according to the report.

But the defence minister, Dr. Crispus Kiyonga, called the allegations misleading and inaccurate. “The evidence we have from our interaction with the political leaders in the area is that there were significant improvements in that period,” he said.

“The frequency and intensity of raids had reduced. The highway robberies and ambushes had come down. UPDF soldiers and warriors who were suspected to have committed crimes were brought before military courts and convictions were made.”
Changes were also made in the military leadership in Karamoja following clashes last November, he stated.

“The division commander and the brigade commanders were changed. The relationship between the community and the army has improved such that the leaders have asked the Government not to transfer the new commanders.”
In his written reply to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Kiyonga emphasised that the Karamoja problem dated back to pre-colonial days.

“The terror unleashed by the Karimojong warriors had led to massive displacement of people. The initial approach of the Government was to negotiate with the Karimojong for a peaceful co-existence among themselves and with the neighbouring communities.” He recalled that President Yoweri Museveni camped in the area in 2003, convincing the leaders to give up the guns voluntarily, which led to the recovery of almost 11,000 guns. In return, the families were given maize grains and oxen ploughs.

However, the disarmament operation was interrupted when the UPDF troops were withdrawn from Karamoja and sent to the North as a result of the LRA threat.
“The Karimojong soon resumed serious cattle raiding. It was in the light of the violations of agreements to hand in the guns, stop raids and highway ambushes that the Government adopted forceful disarmament,” the minister said.

The UN Commissioner for Human Rights claims that at least 34 people, including 16 children, were killed during a cordon and search operation in a kraal in Kotido in February 2007. The report, however, admits that “it has been difficult to obtain a full picture of the situation on the ground, with a number of conflicting stories from persons interviewed, including from separate follow-up interviews with the same individuals.”
But Kiyonga said the story was very different.

“Warriors had raided a place between Abim and Kotido and stolen over 1,000 cows. The UPDF went to recapture the animals.”

“In the process, the warriors engaged the UPDF and a number of warriors were killed. However, the soldiers managed to recover all the cows and handed them back to the rightful owners. There could have been some collateral damage in the shoot-out between the UPDF and the warriors but not to the extent as claimed.”

Kiyonga rejected the UN’s demand that the Government suspends forced disarmament until adequate measures are put in place to ensure the security of the civilian population. “The raids and ambushes are happening not because the UPDF is there.

Ceasing operations would mean leaving innocent people to be killed. Yet, the Commissioner for Human Rights reiterates the Government’s obligation to protect all persons from armed elements.”

The UN report did acknowledge that forceful disarmament led to the recovery of more guns than voluntary disarmament, Kiyonga pointed out. “The report confirmed that between May and December 2006, 1,207 weapons were recovered in Kotido alone as a result of cordon and search operations, against 127 that were handed in voluntarily.”

The Government would continue forceful disarmament, the minister said. At the same time voluntary disarmament through dialogue would be encouraged by involving the local communities.

In that respect, the Government stepped up its mobilisation efforts, including paying higher allowances to local MPs so that they can visit their constituencies more regularly. This, according to Dr. Kiyonga, has had a positive impact.

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